Transmission chain or belt.



I. LYNN` TRANSMISSION CHAIN 0R BELT. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.' ISIS.

1,243,537'. Patented oct. 16, 1917.

`JOHN LYNN, OF ALICE, TEXAS.

TRANSMISSION CHAIN OR BELT.

l retener.

Speccation of yLetters Patent.

Patented ct. 16, 1917.

Application led August 2G, 1916. Serial No. 116,973.

To all whom 'it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, JOHN LYNN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Alice, in the county of J im Wells and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Transmission Chain or Belt, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. n

lMy present invention relates more par ticularly to the chain forming the subjectmatter of United States Letters Patent, granted to me May 30th, 1916, No. 1,185,336, the principle of which is that-resilient elements provided on the chain links are adapted to have an elastic yielding contact with the surface of the drive and driven pulleys, whereby to maintain a constant pressure for effective driving, and be automatically maintained taut, while having great iiexibility. The invention is especially useful as a substitute for leather drive belts on automobiles and other machines where the belts are subjected to heat, water.l oil, and dirt, which are destructive of the belt and make it at all times difficult to maintain the belt tight on the pulleys.

lThe present form of my invention is more especially designed for embodiment in a chain or link belt, for use on dat-face pulleys whereas the construction illustrated in my patent above referred to is more particularly adapted for flanged or grooved pulleys.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specieation in which similar reference chatracters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a transmission chain embcdying my invention, the section being` taken on the line 1 1, F ig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of two connected links;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view thereof;

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing the position of the chain links on the pulley;

Fig. 5 is a. plan view of the blank from which my improved link is formed.

1n forming a chain in accordance with my invention the same is made up of links 10 having suitable means for pivotally connecting the same, there being shown for the purpose a transverse pin 11 directly uniting adjaeent links,

All the links in the chain may be alike, each having fingers formed thereon projecting longitudinally from opposite transverse edges. In the illustrated example, three resilient fingers 12 are produced at one edge and two resilient fingers 13 at the opposite edge. The ingers at the opposite edges are in staggered relation, there being provided alternating with the respective iingers, spaces 111,'the spaces at one edge accommodating the fingers of the opposite edge.

The links are formed from a blank of sheet metal which is shown in Fig. 5, on which several fingers are produced in the plane of the blank. The lingers are then turned under as shown best in Fig. 1. The links are thus given bends to accommodate the connecting pin 11, the bend preferably being in the fingers adjacent to the bases thereof. v

With the fingers bent at the under side they will be disposed at an angle to the body of the plate so as to be capable of eXure toward a plane parallel with the body ofthe plate. rllhe resilient fingers form a contact surface with a pulley A as indicated in Fig. et, and in passing about the pulley in contact with the periphery thereof, the driving strains will press the resilient fingers with more or less force against the pulley, thereby maintaining the chain taut at all times and thus increasing and making uniform the driving power of the belt. It will be seen that the bent fingers are disposed longitudinally of the belt, the fingers at one end being in the direction of traveling while the fingers at the opposite end are reversely disposed. rlhe alternating fingers of a link form practically a complete surface at the inner side of the link and the corresponding fingers of adjacent links are similarly disposed and the terminal of one linger overlaps or is adjacent to the base of the correl spending finger of the next link so that throughout the belt a substantial resilient Contact is effected with the pulleys.

It is to be understood that in practice the links are made of spring steel or other resilient metal.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A transmission chain including a plurality of links provided with spring lingers thereon to give a flexible yielding Contact with surfaces of driving and driven inein bers, the said lingers being disposed at Athe inner face or the chain Within the side edges thereoi1 torconstitute the vWorking faceviof `the chain against the drive and driven niember-s, said `fingers benig `disposed lengthwise Wit-h respect to vthe chain links to dex radially relatively to a pulley.

2. A transmission chain including a plurality of connected links provided with resilient fingers disposed longitudinally at'the inner side of the chain to constitute the Working face thereof, and transverse `pins to which the fingers are secured at one end thereof, the said fingers extending length.- rvise of the chain so that the 'freeends thereof will iiex toward and from the inner side of the chain links.

8. A transmission chain including` a plurality of connected links, veach link present ing a body portion and spring fingers at lthe opposite transverse edges thereof and oppositely disposed at the inner side of the link, the ngers on the respective edges being lin s'taggererl relation.

el. iArtransniission chain including a plurality of connected links, each link presenting a body portion and spring ngers at the opposite transverse edges thereof and oppositely disposed at the inner side of vthe link, the ngers-on the respective edges being in staggered relation,'the oppositely disposed iingers ci a link crossing each other at angles to the lplane of the body of the link.

A transmission chain comprising a plurality l oi links provided with spring fingers integral therewith at opposite transverse edges, vthe lingers being return bent V,at the inner side of the links, and transversey pins passing -through the adjacent bends of adjacent links, the fingers on the saine link being in staggered relation so that thengers at one edge are receivedbetween Athe fingers at the opposite edge.

(i. A transmission chain comprising aplnrality of links kprovided With spring ngers integral therewith at opposite transverse edges, the fingers being return .bent at Ithe inner side of the links, and :transverse pins.

passing through the adjacent bends of adjacent links, the ngers` on "thesame link being in staggered relation so 'that the iingers at one edge are received between theV lingers at the opposite edge, Ithe corresponding lingers on adjacent links vbeing disposed in parallel vinclined planes, and the'terniinals of the said parallel inclined fingers lon one link alining and terminating adjacent tothe bases of the corresponding lingers of ythe adj aoent link.

JGHN LYNN. `Witnesses:

H. Gr. ELMORE, JOHN Lirs.

-Gopcso ythis patent may be obtanerfor five cents each, byaddressng `theCormnssioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

